Without question, Marion County has had more than its fair share of bad news as of late. But, this past week has been a reminder to us of the many good things, and the many good people who live in our community.

Maria Bell has continued a tradition started by her father, the late Henry Lee Bell, by organizing and hosting a Thanksgiving meal at Centre Square for anyone in the community. We also know volunteers and donations from the community make this possible.

Marion County is reeling.
On Saturday, we said goodbye to Marion County Sheriff's Deputy Anthony Rakes, who was killed in the line of duty early Nov. 14. Rakes was living a lifelong dream of working in law enforcement.
Rakes' death would be enough to leave us saddened, but his death was one of a string of tragic events that have plagued our county over the last two weeks.

By now, we should know who our next President of the United States will be (emphasis on should). And, with the exception of a few undecided voters, everyone had an opinion regarding the candidates... including kids.
Students in Tammy Parman's fifth-grade class at Calvary Elementary School recently weighed in on who they felt would make the best president. And, although the election is over (or should be, at least) we still want to share the students' views on Barack Obama and Mitt Romney.

It's customary for this newspaper to write an editorial the week after Marion County Country Ham Days to praise the Chamber of Commerce and the countless volunteers that make the annual fall festival such a huge success.

Looking back in our archives, it's interesting to see how the festival has continually grown.

It's customary for this newspaper to write an editorial the week after Marion County Country Ham Days to praise the Chamber of Commerce and the countless volunteers that make the annual fall festival such a huge success.

Looking back in our archives, it's interesting to see how the festival has continually grown.

Rivalry games always inspire emotions, and that makes that game a little more special for players and fans on both sides.
That's true of the Louisville-Kentucky rivalry. The Marion County-Washington County rivalry is no different.
But that's not an excuse for vandalism, and unfortunately, that's what happened at both high schools last week. On Friday morning, we learned that the football fields at Marion and Washington counties had been defaced.

William "Buster" Mattingly is not a man who brags about what he has done, but as we have learned, what he has done is worth talking about.
Mattingly entered the Marines Corps in 1944, just a few years after President Franklin Roosevelt signed an executive order requiring the military to allow anyone to serve regardless of race. That order may have opened the doors for African-Americans, but it did not end the attitudes that had kept many of them out of the service.
Nevertheless, Mattingly enlisted, and he was sent to Camp Lejeune, N.C. - well, almost.

William "Buster" Mattingly is not a man who brags about what he has done, but as we have learned, what he has done is worth talking about.

Mattingly entered the Marines Corps in 1944, just a few years after President Franklin Roosevelt signed an executive order requiring the military to allow anyone to serve regardless of race. That order may have opened the doors for African-Americans, but it did not end the attitudes that had kept many of them out of the service.

This past weekend was the most recent example that Lebanon can and does attract visitors.
Last week, those visitors were the participants in the 2012 Jets Over Kentucky event, which has become the largest remote control jet showcase in the United States and possibly the world.